THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

           PRESIDENT CLINTON MOVES CALIFORNIA DISASTER 
                  DECLARATION DATE TO JANUARY 3
                                
     The President today moved the effective date of the latest

California flood disaster back to January 3, 1995.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director James Lee Witt said the action, taken at the request of the State of California, means that people who suffered damages between January 3 and January 6 are now eligible to apply for federal disaster assistance.

California originally requested January 6 as the starting date for this disaster. However, as more information became available, it was apparent that some communities suffered heavy flooding from the same storm three days earlier. Under the law, damage that occurred before the declaration's starting date is not covered under the declaration.